I don't know if it's a message as much as it is trying to find some offense beyond the Sid-Malkin combo. As it has been debated many, many, many, many, many times on this board... those two together are great in spurts, but it can't be permanent (see Senators, Ottawa). I think MT just wants some consistent scoring through all 3 lines without demolishing his line up half way through the game every night.